If I Love You
by TheMetrist
Summary: Edward and his four-year old daughter, Sarah, move into an old house. Things begin to torment them as Edward falls for the strange, Bella Swan. No vampires. AU. A paranormal love story.
1. Chapter 1

**Introduction: "A Better Beginning"**

"Why do we have to move now?"

"We're going to a bigger and better place - way better than this."

"But why are we moving _now_?" asked Sarah. It was night -close to her bedtime- and it was pouring outside with no signs of letting up. The truth is that the house Edward bought _was_ bigger and better than this place, but it was also older and set in a small town full of nasty rumors which made it a lot cheaper. The man that sold the house said he was going on a vacation tomorrow and told Edward to pick up the keys anytime today or the deal was off. Edward wasn't going to pass up a house for this price, so despite the unfortunate request, he began packing up and told the man he would be there by 10pm.

"Because if we don't leave now, we might have to stay here." replied Edward. The past four months have been hell ever since his depression hit him for the first time since Sarah was born. He stopped working and lost his home, and the little savings he did have where spent on this roach infested, dingy, one-bedroom apartment, and food, and gas, etc. His pride stopped him from asking for help from his family. He never wanted them to see him so broken. After month and month of feeling like a failing father, Edward found job, searched everywhere for an affordable home and settled on one in a small town. It would be a quiet good change. At least that's what Edward told himself.

Edward buckled Sarah's seatbelt.

"Is Pug buckled in?" asked Sarah, her big brown eyes full of innocence and wonder.

"I don't think he needs one," replied Edward as he glanced at their dog, Pug, who already had his head out the window. At least someone was excited about moving. Sarah giggled. That dog was the only friend she would be having until she got into another school. "I'm gonna get the last of the boxes. Are you forgetting anything?" asked Edward and Sarah shook her head. Edward jogged back up the apartment stairs. They didn't have much things because it was just the two of them (three including Pug) and they didn't have many cooking appliances. Its not that Edward couldn't cook, he just didn't have any time between work and taking care of Sarah. His four year old princess could be a hand full at times. Although, she never minded eating out and ordering in everyday.

"Alright, that's the last box," said Edward as he slammed this faulty trunk closed. It was a miracle how this truck stayed running all these years. He leaned against it and hoped he was making the right decision. The only con about going to this house was that he wouldn't live next to his sister, Alice, and her husband anymore. Sometimes they would babysit Sarah.

Edward sighed. It was hard being a single parent. It was even harder when your little girl asks you why she's the only child without a mommy. Edward couldn't lie to Sarah, not even if he tried, so he told her the truth: 'Mom left us so you could live,'. Sarah would always furrow her brows in confusion. 'Why couldn't we both live?'. 'Because life doesn't work that way,' Edward would say. 'Sometimes you have to choose your loved ones over yourself'. The conversation would always end there because Edward either became lost in memories or Sarah was to afraid to hear anymore. She always thought that she wanted to hear about her mother's death, but she never really wanted details. And she hated the way her father's eyes would gloss over as he revisited the horrible day in his head.

"Is everyone ready?" asked Edward as he sat in the truck and glanced in the rear view mirror at Sarah.

"Yep!" replied Sarah. Pug wagged his tail. The large German Shepard was taking up a whole seat by himself.

"Alright then," Edward mumbled. The engine roared alive and soon they were on their way to their new home.

* * *

The raining was coming down too hard. The dark gray skies made it known that a storm was coming. The windshield was fogged from dust and rain so Edward couldn't see a thing. The car was dangerously sliding against the slippery road, causing Edward to pull over. The house was a mile away and the man with the keys didn't seem like he was willing to wait another day.

"Who's up for a little walk?" Edward asked as cheerful as possible.

"It's raining, dad."

"Would a piggy back ride help?" asked Edward which made Sarah grin. "Okay, put your backpack on and lets go."

"What about the car?"

"We'll get the truck and our belongings tomorrow. Its essential that we carry lite," said Edward, hoping Sarah wouldn't get upset. He did everything in his power to make and keep her happy. Jasper once told him Sarah would grow up to be spoiled because Edward never disciplined her. Edward would just shrug because Sarah was a good kid and everyone knew that.

When they got out of the car Edward scrunched down and let Sarah climb on his back. He was about to get some bags out of the trunk when Sarah piped up.

"We can't leave Pug."

Edward inwardly groaned. The dog was terrified of thunder storms so he would have to carry Pug so he wouldn't run away. So much for taking any of their belongings. Edward strained to move fast with the salty rain flying in his eyes. It was so windy and foggy that he could hardly see a thing, and having Sarah on his back and Pug in his arms weren't helping. He ascended up a hill, the muddy dirt slowing him down even more. He had to squint to see but alas, a large gate stood proudly before them. He knew the house was inside the gate, so he ignored the burning in his legs and arms, and pushed forward as fast as he could.

"Edward?" whispered quietly once he reached the gate. The house owner walked out from the fog with his arm outstretched. He was dangling keys.

Edward frowned at Pug in his arms. "I can't exactly hold anything, sir. Can you walk down with us and open the door?"

The man grunted.

"I'll be damned if I go back there," he threw the keys on the ground and walked off, disappearing in the rain and fog.

Edward struggled to pick up the keys, the rain making them slip through his fingers. The gate unlocked and opened slowly with a hideous creaking sound. Inside the gate, the fog and rain seemed to settle down. The outline of a massive home loomed over them in the dark. Edward wanted to comment on it and brag to Sarah, but he realized that there was still a football field length walk to get to the house. He cursed, glad at all the noise so Sarah couldn't hear it.

A weed got tangled around Edward's ankle and he fell. Pug went darting out of his arms. Sarah tried to chase him but Edward grabbed her arm and pulled her back.

"The gate is locked," he reasoned. "Pug can't go anywhere."

Sarah's tiny body started shaking the way it always did when she was about to cry, but Edward held her until she calmed down. He took her hand inside his and walked up the large rusty porch. Just like the gate, the front door opened with a creak. Edward made a mental note to buy some oil for these doors.

"I'm scared. I wanna go back home," Sarah confessed.

"You'll get caught in the storm monster if you go back," Edward made a face to emphasize an ugly monster. Sarah squealed and hugged Edwards leg. She glanced up at him to make sure he wasn't still the storm monster. He wasn't. He was smiling at her and brushing her hair with his fingers.

"Go put your backpack in the room you want," said Edward. Sarah nodded and ran upstairs. He decided to give her a bath when she came back down because she was muddy from the fall a few minutes ago. Hell, he was muddy too, but he didn't have any change of clothes so he had to settle with just washing his face. The house had a long narrow hall that lead to the bathroom. Just as Edward was reaching to unlock the door, it opened.

A beautiful girl, one that could best be described with 'snow white beauty', stood in the bathroom, clutching a towel to herself. Her face and body flushed and Edward immediately stepped back out of sight in the hallway. His face was burning then he remembered that this was his house. What the hell was she doing in there? Still, being a gentlemen, he waited till she walked out clothed in a t-shirt and jeans, instead of barging in.

"Why are you in my house?"

She glanced around uncomfortably. "I didn't know anyone lived here,"

So she's homeless.

"You can crash here till the storm clears," Edward offered. He instantly wondered if Sarah would mind.

"Just for tonight," the girl said. "I'll be gone by morning."

Edward nodded. He could tell she was still uneasy about the whole situation.

"There's four bedrooms. You can take one," said Edward. He felt bad for not having anything more to offer her. But she seemed grateful with just this. "What's your name? If I may ask?"

She hesitated. "Bella Swan."

"Bella," murmured Edward, feeling the name roll off his tongue. He hadn't wanted to say it aloud, causing him to blush. It didn't go unnoticed by Bella either and she didn't have anything to say to leer the subject, so they both stood in the hallway thinking they could have melted from embarrassment. It was this moment that Edward remembered that he was covered in mud with no bags. She probably thought he was homeless!

"It was storming, I had to leave my car..." Edward awkwardly explained, although, he didn't know why. She was the one breaking the law.

"It's okay," Bella shrugged. "Bad day."

Edward smiled. He was about to reply when Sarah ran around the corner.

"Dad, I seen Pug out my window! He's playing with someone!"

Sarah stopped in her tracks upon seeing Bella and smiled slightly.

"Hi," she said shyly.

"Hi," Bella replied just as shy.

"This is my daughter, Sarah. Sarah, this is Bella. She'll be staying with us."

"Tonight," added Bella. Edward bit the inside of his cheek before a blush could fill his face.

Later that night, after everyone settled in the best they could, they divided the rooms. Sarah and Edward slept in the same room since Sarah was afraid to sleep by herself, and despite all the insisting, Bella slept on the couch. Edward woke up to a noise in the middle of the night and walked downstairs to see what it was. Not a thing seemed out of place and Bella was still fast asleep on the couch. He drank some water from the faucet and began the march back upstairs before glancing at Bella again. Gosh, she was beautiful. And deserved to sleep in a bed. He scooped her up in his arms, careful not to wake her, and carried her to an empty room. He was about to lay her down when he heard a loud thud followed by blood curling screams.

Bella's eyes snapped open and confusion riddled her face. Edward inwardly cursed himself out. He knew how this looked.

 **...to be continued**.


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter - 2 "Wicked Things** "

The screams were easily recognized as Sarah's, which was on the list of a thousand reasons why Edward set Bella onto her feet. He didn't look back as he ran out of the room and he wasn't sure if it was because he was ashamed or because he could feel Bella's eyes burning into his back.

They checked Sarah's bedroom first, only to find it empty with the covers thrown back. Edward's heart pounded in his chest. This house was vacant for a while. What if someone was living here, like Bella, and took Sarah in her sleep?

"We should check downstairs," whispered Bella. If she didn't think he was a pervert, she would have felt sorry for him. She almost reached out to touch him, but her words seemed to calm him enough. Without saying anything else, they went downstairs and looked in the living room. Having no luck, they tried the kitchen amongst other places, then hurried down the hall.

"Sarah," said Edward as he walked to the back of the house with Bella close behind him. The thudding sound became louder.

 _Thud. Thud. Thud._

When they got to the end of the house, they seen Sarah standing there with the back door opened, the moon light illuminating around her. The screen door was closed and Pug was outside ramming his head against the door.

 _Thud. Thud. Thud._

He must have been doing that for a while because blood was dripping down his forehead. Edward pulled Sarah away from the door. Sarah blinked a few times, startled to see them.

"Sarah, what are you doing?"

"I don't know," she replied. Bella unlocked the screen door and Pug ran inside.

"I'll clean him up," said Bella. Edward nodded then focused on Sarah again.

"Why did you scream?"

"I didn't."

"Sarah..."

"I didn't!" yelled Sarah. She squirmed out of her father's arms and ran into the living room. Edward followed her to make sure she wouldn't do anything rash, but she just turned on the Tv to watch cartoons. That was weird about this house - it was fully furnished. The Tv was an old black and white one that was slightly fuzzy from the storm, although, Sarah didn't seem to mind. Edward let her be. He ran his hands over his face, thinking now was the time to talk to Bella.

Bella was sitting on the rim of the bathtub, drying Pug off with a towel. She had just finished bathing him.

"How bad is his head?" asked Edward, who was standing in the doorway. He wanted to start a normal conversation before he explained why he was holding her and bringing her to an empty room. Then he realized that asking about his dog's busted up head wasn't normal at all.

"Its just a bruise," replied Bella, not looking up. She continued to dry Pug as if Edward wasn't there. He nervously took a step inside the bathroom.

"Look, about...I wasn't-"

Bella cut him off. "Its fine. Like I said, I'll be gone tomorrow."

Edward nodded slowly and backed out of the bathroom. He figured she was stubborn and was going to believe whatever she wanted. Which was fair. "I am sorry, though"

Bella responded by letting go of Pug and he ran to his rightful owner. He looked like his cheerful normal self again.

"Thank you," said Edward, although, he wasn't expecting a reply.

Sarah and Edward sat on the couch using the Tv as their only source of light. The windows were covered with dark curtains that made the house look like a black void with furniture. He made another mental note to buy bright colored curtains. Maybe it would cheer them up. They sure needed it. Sarah hadn't gotten out of her funk, but she was scared and tired so she curled up next to her dad. Of course Edward welcomed her with opened arms. He'd never be able to ignore her or be mad at her for a long period of time. Sarah quickly fell asleep as it was way past her bedtime. Edward thought about turning off the Tv, but (although he would never admit it) he'd been feeling uneasy since they came here. It was like fear was welcoming them to give in. Edward brushed those feelings off to being paranoid. Most people had doubts about moving to a new home and he found a stranger in his.

Speaking of stranger, Bella sat down on the far end of the couch and presumably tried to sleep. She didn't bother to turn off the Tv either and Edward wondered if they were all feeling the eerie presence in this house. Right before Edward fell into his slumber, he seen a small figure climb on top of Sarah and yelled inside his head; "She's Mine!"

Edward's eyes fluttered opened. He heard birds chirping as the sun shone through the curtains. Someone had opened them, probably Bella. He looked at the corner of the couch and found her gone as expected. He sat up slowly so he wouldn't wake Sarah, only the see she was gone too. Panic rose in her throat, but then he remembered how calm Bella had been last night. He checked his surroundings first. The front door was unlocked and if he listened through the wind that was seeping through the door, he could hear faint laughter. Outside, Bella and Sarah were playing a game involving throwing a stick to Pug then scrambling to get more. Edward didn't understand the game, but he was smiling. He thought Bella had left for good and it swelled his heart to see that she didn't leave without a good-bye. Even though she still probably thought ill of him, he thought nothing bad of her. He didn't care a bit if she was homeless.

"Good morning," said Edward. His voice came out deeper from sleep. Sarah greeted him and Bella simply glanced over her shoulder and tucked loose strands of hair behind her ear.

"Did we wake you?" she asked.

Edward shrugged.

"Pug looks better."

"He is. He's a good dog. replied Bella. Sarah ran to her dad with Pug at her heels.

"Daddy, Bella braided my hair," Sarah beamed and twirled for effect. Doing Sarah's hair was never Edward's strong point. He only knew how to do pig tails or a tight pony tail that Sarah would complain about, so she wore her hair down most of the time. He imagined her late mother would have been amazing with Sarah's hair. He wanted to snap at Bella for touching his daughters hair and he also wanted to hug her for the same reason.

Bella cleared her throat and brought Edward back to reality. He hated how his emotions showed all over his face.

"I'm gonna get the truck, I'll be right back. Wanna ride, Sarah?"

Sarah shook her head. She didn't like being around her dad when he went in one of his zones. He became sad and his eyes were far away, living something that happened years ago. "Bella says there's a pond behind the house. I want to see it."

"Alright," replied Edward. He never could turn her down. He watched Sarah greedily hold Bella's hand as they walked away. Edward was glad she was taking a liking to Bella. Sarah barely had friends at her old school and now she only had him. An unnecessary sadness swept over him knowing that Bella was leaving today. He should have been happy. He didn't need a homeless girl living off of him. He had enough problem on his own. Edward shook his head as if to clear his thoughts and glanced around the yard. The storm had done it's damage, leaving behind deep puddles and broken tree branches.

One thing he hadn't seen last was how big the front yard was (and probably the back as well). It had lots of dead grass and weeds that lead to a stone walkway that lead to the breath taking gate. Inside, was a fountain that wasn't currently working, but the gate would still have been the main focus. It had carvings of Latin words and goblins. Surprisingly, green vines and blossomed white roses were intertwined in the gate. It wasn't flower season, plus yesterdays storm should have devastated these flowers, but here they were. Even though the gate was old and collecting rust, its beauty from when it was first built was still recognizable. It surrounded the whole house and all of its property without a crack or hole for an intruder to slip through. Still, from the porch of the house, you could just barely see the top of the gate because of the hill that it sat upon. Needless to say, it was huge. Edward jogged to the gate and unlocked it, the creaking sound making him cringe. Its like it got worse each time. Get the truck, Edward reminded himself why he was going out in the first place. That truck held everything he owned.

It didn't go unnoticed to Bella that Sarah had clasped onto her hand. Her first reaction was to pull her hand away, but she didn't and just pretended not to care. She wondered if Sarah was just really friendly or was she just lucky. She also wondered why her father would get that heart breaking look in his eyes.

"Uhm, does your dad always get like that?"

"It used to happen all the time. I believe he thinks of mommy," Sarah answered sadly. Her shoulder sunk and her hand loosen on Bella, so Bella tighten her grip. She hadn't wanted to hold the little girls hand at first, but now it seemed cruel to let go.

"What happened to your mommy?" Bella asked cautiously.

"She left us so I could live," replied Sarah, repeating the words her father told her so many times. "She loved me very much."

Bella guessed her mother was taken by child birth. She pictured a young and beautiful woman in her mind. Someone who was thoughtful and strong that would leave and everlasting impact on a man that loved her.

"Look, the pond. Maybe we can spot a frog." said Bella hoping to get away from their previous conversation.

Sarah's eyes widened.

"There's frogs here?"

Bella grinned.

"Oh yeah."

"I have to show Pug! Pug?"

"Maybe he's still in the front yard." said Bella.

"He's probably with his friend."

Bella vaguely glanced around.

"Don't make friends in here okay?"

Sarah began to reply when a gust of icy wind ripped through the air. A hanging tree branch fell into the pond as the whistling of the wind sounded more and more like tiny voices in their heads. Sarah had made small and covered her ears with her hands.

"Come on," said Bella. She grabbed Sarah's hand and they started towards the front if the house. They heard the engine before they seen Edward park the truck on a dirt patch in the yard, which was good as any driveway.

"We're lucky. Outside the gate it looks like a hurricane hit," said Edward as be got out. Bella nodded and Sarah ran over to her dad. "How was the pond?"

"Deep and murky. You should clean it and make it child proof," said Bella. "You never know what wicked things could happen," she added.

Edward nodded. There was something about Bella that he couldn't quite place. She was a mystery all in herself.

"The wind is picking up. I should get going."

Edward couldn't hide the slight disappointment on his face. He reached into the bed of the truck, searching through a bag until he found a box of hot chocolate. He waved it over his head like a piece offering. Bella chortled. He's a goofball.

"Just one cup," he promised.

The kitchen was warm and the smell of hit cocoa drifted throughout the bottom level of the house. Bella and Edward sat on the kitchen stools while Sarah and Pug (who she found napping in the living room) were on the couch, draining the old Tv for all it had.

"You two seem like a nice family. Why did you pick this town?" "

Edward frowned into his cup. "It wasn't always nice," he mumbled.

Bella dropped the subject and gestured towards Sarah. "How old is she?"

"Turned four last month." the edges of his mouth curled upwards and it wasn't hard to see that that little girl was his pride and joy.

"She's amazing," replied Bella. "She doesn't belong here."

Edward studied Bella's face for humour but there was not a trace. "What do you mean?"

Bella opened her mouth to speak then stopped herself. She gulped the last of her hot chocolate down and stood up.

"Just be careful. Thanks for the drink, but I've over stayed." said Bella as she walked to the door.

Sarah heard the door open. "Are you leaving?"

"Wait," Edward chimed in. He immediately regretted it. They must have looked so desperate. Bella glanced at Sarah then settled her eyes upon Edward, patiently waiting for him to continue. Edward didn't have anything to say, nor did he know why he even stopped her. He just didn't want her to leave yet.

"I live down Castle road," said Bella, sensing his thoughts. She wouldn't mind seeing them again either.

Edward nodded, but another question raised to the surface. Yet again, she read his mind.

"My power went out when the storm hit, so I came over here to shower. I thought it was vacant..." she said as a slight blush rose to her cheeks.

So she's not homeless.

"Well, I hope everything is working when you get home. You're always welcome to come back here. Anytime. Just show up. I would - We would love to see you again. Soon, hopefully," rambled Edward. He inwardly cursed himself out.

Bella smiled modestly.

"Thanks."

Edward offered to drive Bella home but she insisted that she go alone. He watched her leave and disappear once she reached the top of the hill. He didn't ask how she got out of the gate. Maybe he left it unlocked or maybe she climbed over it? He was sure she got through it though because she didn't come back.

"I said no. I can't play with you now. Pug wants to play catch."

"Sarah, who are you talking too?" asked Edward. He had just walked back inside the house. Sarah and Pug were standing by the window. Sarah was talking to herself and Pug was giving out a low growl.

"My friend."

"Your imaginary friend?"

"No." Sarah simply said. Edward frowned and said alright. He blamed himself for her creating imaginary friends. He had mentally abandoned her for the first two years of her life and he spent the next two trying to make it up. That's one reason why he spoiled her.

"Let's go to the store. Get out of here for a minute."

The closest store was a 20 minute drive. It was small and decent supermarket and all of the fruits and vegetables outside in baskets. Edward bought oil for their creaky doors, yellow curtains to make the house lively, food to last at least a week, and house essentials such as batteries, etc.

"I haven't seen you before," smiled the clerk.

"We just moved here. Living in the big house on the hill," said Edward. The clerk's eyes widened as fear took them over. Without another word, he quickly bagged things items, carefully not to touch or even look at Edward or Sarah.

"That was weird," Edward said as they were driving back home. He glanced in the rearview mirror to see Sarah shrug. "Would you like to stay with Jasper and Alice this weekend?" he asked. He was planning on looking for a job in town and didn't want to leave Sarah home alone.

"I'd love too!"

Edward smiled. He was excited to unpack and clean the house and start working again. He even bought food to cook at home because he wanted this time around to be different. And he would try his best not to get lost in bad memories when Sarah was around. Their new beginning had started yesterday.

Edward unlocked the gate and pulled into the makeshift driveway. He unbuckled Sarah's seat belt and glanced towards the house. He had half-hoped that Bella had doubled back and decided to stay, but that was wishful thinking. He seen something far worse.

"Oh my," Edward breathed.

"What is it daddy?" asked Sarah as she tried to hop down.

"Stay in the car," he snapped and instantly felt guilty. "I- I'm sorry. Please, just stay in the car."

Confused, Sarah nodded. Edward slowly walked up the porch steps, mouth slightly agape at the sight. He heard tiny footsteps run up to him and he was to frozen to stop them. Sarah was standing beside him now as they both looked at the grotesque scene. Sarah was in a state of disbelief and horror, much like Edward.

Pug was lying on the porch. His body was gutted, all of his insides were set beside him. His neck was broken and his head was twisted around several times, creating wrinkles in his neck. His face was still contorted in pain from the last seconds of his life. Sarah screamed. Edward pulled her away as her little body fought against him. She was yelling and squirming, but Edward turned around so she couldn't see what was left of Pug. He walked down the steps and back into the front yard.

"I told you to stay in the car. I told you," said Edward. But his tone wasn't accusing in the least.

"No! No!" Sarah cried. Her screams turned into sobs and she crumbled to the ground. Edward held her the whole time, shielding her. He couldn't bare to see her so distraught that he felt himself losing it. He was slowly slipping into the past. And just like that, he was brought back to four years ago, the day she was born...

 **...to be continued**


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter - 3 "The Past Among Us"**

 _Four years ago. St. Jude Hospital._

* * *

"The baby isn't getting enough oxygen and it won't be getting any if we don't perform a C-section," the nurse spoke in quick, yet loud words so Mr. and Mrs. Cullen wouldn't miss anything. Under dire circumstances, people always blocked out the worst parts. "But it we do this," the nurse continued, "I'm afraid, Miss Cullen, that you will lose too much blood. The alternative is to wait until the baby has stopped receiving oxygen, so your heart rate will slow down and your body will discontinue to work at the hyper speed it is now, just to keep you and your baby alive. We highly recommend that you choose the latter."

Annette laid on the hospital bed as he husband, Edward, sat beside her on a chair. She was drenched in sweat, her eyes were heavy, and her body was numb from painkillers. She grew up in a small, religious family were babies were seen as a blessing. All her life she wanted one, even after hearing her mother tell her of all the complications she had when giving birth to her. That story had actually been very comforting to Annette when she went into labor sooner than she was supposed too. Edward was so worried when the blood trickled down her leg, but Annette was calm, and told him to get the car ready. Her calmness made him relax, but only slightly as he rushed her to the hospital in record time.

It was late in the night, 2 or 3 am, Annette wasn't sure. She had a headache, her feet were hurting, and the contractions were almost too painful. Thankfully, the pain killers and morphine helped a lot, and even with all the uncertainty, she was happy. The first few months of her pregnancy was a feeling unexplainable. She would glow everytime she thought of the miracle she was carrying inside her. It also helped that her husband was just as excited as she was. They had been excited since he moment she took the test and it showed positive. Now, lying in the hospital, the nurse "recommended" to choose her life over her childs.

Annette turned her head to the side to look at her husband, and he brushed her damp hair out of her eyes. His other hand was squeezing hers. "Do you C-section now," said Annette to the nurse, but her eyes never left Edward's.

"Are you sure Miss?" asked the nurse. Her eyes scanned Mr. Cullen's face, hoping that he'd protest that his wife was too unstable for a decisions like this, but he paid no attention to her. He was leaning over his wife's bed, murmuring something.

"You don't have to this. I need you," Edward whispered as tears threatened to fall.

Annette smiled warmly as she cupped his face in her hands. "Its okay dear. Sometimes you have to choose your loved ones over yourself. And I choose our daughter. _She_ will need _you_."

"If we're going to do this we need to do this now," said another nurse. The procedure was short and the baby came out healthy and crying.

"Welcome to the world, Sarah," whispered Annette. She held her child a few minutes before passing away.

 ** _Present_ _Time_**

Edward carried Sarah back to the truck then called the sheriff. Despite showing up an hour later, the sheriff seemed rather excited about what he saw.

"We ain't never git no drama 'round here. Everything's as boring as a brick. So what's the old dogs name?" said the sheriff. Edward was off-put by his deep country accent, but didn't care enough to ask where he was from.

"Pug," Edward replied dryly.

"Something ate the hell outta him! That's how my wife looks after I eat her," laughed the sheriff as he sent a wink Edward's way. Edward ignored him.

"Can you get him off my porch? I don't want mu daughter having to step over him to get inside the house."

The sheriff glanced over his shoulder at Edward's truck, where Sarah was sitting. "She's just a little one. Must be spooked out of her mind! Ha! What a sight to see at five!"

"She's four," Edward corrected.

The sheriff shrugged as if it didn't matter. "What do you think did this?"

"I don't know."

"Well, don't be listening to them town folk. They as crazy as they stories. Always running new people off and spreading rumors like roaches."

"Can you get Pug off my porch?" Edward asked once again. He was getting more irritated with every word that came from the mans mouth.

"Hell naw! Call the ambulance if ya wanna move ya dog. I just came to get a report and go home," he laughed. "But whatever done ya Pug like this is a nasty beast that I don't want to be around to greet. Bye Mr. Cullen."

Edward seethed as he watched the pathetic sheriff get into his cop car and leave. Edward dug a deep hole in the yard and buried Pug. He was exhausted from that, but continued to scrub the porch clean, soaking it in bleach. Afterwards, he and Sarah held a small ceremony. Sarah didn't eat dinner that night and fell asleep on the couch across Edwards lap. Edward carefully got up, resting her head against the arm of the couch, and looked out of the window. A small bed of flowers that they had picked off the gate glittered in the darkness, marked Pug's grave. Edward glanced back at Sarah sleeping, her long hair hanging over the cushions. He walked back to her and brushed her hair behind her ear and kiss her forehead.

"I'll always protect you," he whispered.

A loud noise that could only be described as metal scrapping across the floor was heard throughout the house. Sarah jerked awake with tears flowing down her cheeks and Edward guessed she was dreaming about Pug.

"Daddy?"

"I don't know," replied Edward as Sarah stood up and held his hand. The sound seemed to be coming from down the hall, getting closer. It became more detailed that it was chains dragging on the tile. Which was all the more freighting.

"Daddy," Sarah said breathlessly. She was digging her finger nails into his palm. Edward pulled her into the kitchen and grabbed the car keys. Footsteps thundered from the hall.

" I need you to get in the car and locked yourself in there and don't open it for anyone besides me. Okay, Sarah?"

"What about you?"

Around the corner, a pale blurred face with black eyes, dressed in rags and had chains around their ankles emerged. Yellow foam clung to their mouth and their body was riddled with healed scars. Edward ducked behind the kitchen counter and covered Sarah's mouth before a scream could escape. Sarah whimpered against Edwards hand as the man slowly walked into the middle of their living room where they could see him, but his back was towards them. He looked like he was from another century. Suddenly, he threw his head back and let out a shrill yell that sounded like a thousands echoes. The cabinets flew opened and the dishes flung out, crashing all around and into everything. Edward positioned himself so that his body was protecting Sarah's. The windows bursts into tiny pieces as the light bulbs shattered above them. It seemed like the whole house was breaking down until everything stopped all at once. Edward and Sarah slowly stood up. The man was gone. But that was the only good thing. Their living room and kitchen looked like a bomb had went off. Broken glass and dishes covered the floor like a snug blanket. And even though the windows were unwilling opened, the moonlight still didn't seem to find its way inside the house. Edward picked Sarah up and rested her on his hip. He maneuvered out of the house, careful not to step on any glass.

Bare-footed, Edward walked in the front yard and opened the car door. He didn't plan on calling that lame sheriff back over here and he was much too tired to go looking for their intruder.

"What are we doing?" Sarah mumbled into Edward's shoulder.

"Sleeping in the car," replied Edward. He thought he would have to add something extra to make it sound fun, but Sarah complied and climbed into the seat. Edward followed suit, closing and locking the door behind himself.

 _Tap, tap._

Edward jerked awake, groaning as the morning sun shined in his eyes. and immediately looked at Sarah, who was already awake with her back to the passenger window and her legs curled up to her chest. He was relieved and saddened by the sight of her.

 _Tap, tap._

He shifted in his seat to see someone tapping on the window. Bella. She waved hesitantly. Edward quickly opened the door, too tired to noticed how close she was, and hit her. Bella gritted her teeth as she held her forearm.

"I'm so sorry," Edward rushed to apologize.

"I'm fine," she dismissed. "Why the hell are you in your car?"

Edward stammered something between an incoherent sentence and more apologies. Sarah walked around the truck with her shoulders slumped and sorrow all over her face. Bella glanced at her then slowly trailed her eyes back to Edward. "What happened?"

"It'd be best if we show you,"

Bella gasped as soon as they opened the front door. "My goodness," she muttered.

"It was the boogie man," said Sarah.

"Someone broke in," Edward explained. "I didn't see any signs of forced entry though. But as long as this is here, down stairs is cut off."

"It doesn't have to be," said Bella. "I seen some boards in the shed and if you guys have trash bags and a broom, we can clean this up pretty soon."

"I wouldn't want you too. You're our guest."

"Then think of me as a friend, because I'm not leaving. I'll get the wood," said Bella as she descended down the porch steps. She stopped and turned around. "Hey. Where's Pug?" Sarah looked at her shoes, suddenly interested in the laces, and Edward frowned.

Sarah paraded in her dads boots as she picked up glass with thick gloves and placed them in a trash bag while Edward and Bella boarded up the windows.

"He was gutted?"

"Yeah," replied Edward. "And Sarah seen the whole thing."

"I'm sorry," Bella murmured.

"She's handling it better than I expected. I guess because we said a few parting words before we buried him."

"You what?"

"What?"

Bella set the small box of nails down and jogged outside. She pointed at the flower bed that was stuck into the ground. "Was this it? Is this he grave?"

Edward furrowed his brows. "Yes, but Bella I don't see why-" his mouth dropped as he watched her start digging up Pug's grave with her hands.

"Get a shovel," she ordered. "It might not be too late."

Edward ignored her request and grabbed her waist, pulling her away from the dirt.

"Let me go!" Bella yelled, but he was already releasing her.

"What the hell are you doing?"

"I'm being smart!"

"By digging up my daughters dead dog? Do you hear yourself?"

Sighing, Bella ran her finger through her hair. "They come back," she whispered. "Everything that's buried here comes back. Only they're not the same anymore."

Edward frowned. "What are you talking about?"

They heard Sarah's footsteps stop in the doorway of the house.

"Daddy I cut my finger,"

"W-what happened to your your gloves?" Edward asked, but he was staring at Bella.

"They started itching. Can I have a bandage?"

Edward tore his eyes from the mystery known as Bella Swan, and focused on Sarah. "Of course. Come on."

After helping Sarah, the three of them finished cleaning in four hours just as Sarah announced that she was hungry.

"We can order something. All the dishes are broken." said Edward. It seemed like they were falling into their same bad habits before even stopping them.

"There isn't a restaurant for miles. When I was in the shed I seen a few dishes. Maybe I can make something," said Bella.

The kitchen was quiet as they all ate chicken and asparagus. Edward and Sarah hadn't had a home-cooked meal in so long that they barely saved any left overs. Edward wanted Bella to stay forever and cook, but didn't voice it because he knew it would sound sexist out loud. However, he thanked her by washing the dishes, but she insisted on drying them, so they hovered over the kitchen sink washing and drying dishes while Sarah went upstairs to sleep.

"How long have you been living here?" asked Edward.

"Too long."

"Do you...stay with anybody?"

Bella's mouth made a thin line. "I used too," she replied with a finality that stopped Edward from asking anymore. He scrubbed a dish, handed it to her and she wiped it off then put it into the cabinet. "What about you, huh? Do you have any family?"

Edward nodded slowly. "I did. I-I do. I just..." he gripped the counter and hung his head, then began a story he had never told a soul. "My wife died during children birth. It was the worst and best day of my life. But I crashed after that. I was depressed, I drank, I ignored my family and any help they tried to give me. The only thing I did right was feed Sarah, but I wasn't there. Not really."

Bella listened patiently as she observed Edward. He was gazing out the window, but it was all blocked off by the wood they nailed up there earlier, so she knew he was long gone before he continued.

 ** _3 and a half Years ago._**

Edward stumbled into his small one-bedroom, bug infested apartment. These parts of town was no place to raise a child, but it sure had the best liquor you could find. His head was spinning from his hangover and he intended to fix it with more alcohol. He dragged his feet across the floor, his fingers clumsily hitting his voice messages on his home phone. The first one was from Charlie.

" _Don't tell me you're not gonna let me visit my granddaughter? When I said you needed therapy I was trying to help you. I know that you're very capable Edward, but you can't keep living this way."_

The second one was from Alice.

 _"Just checking up on you, bro! Not sure if you noticed, but Jasper and I called you five times today. Don't be a stranger! We really miss you and Sarah. Especially Sarah's chubby little cheels!_

Another message was from the hotel manager, telling him to pay rent or be out by next Friday. Edward deleted all of the voice mails and went into the cabinet. A bottle of brandy was calling his name but he barely held it before it slipped out of his hands and crashed to the floor. Edward cured then cured some more when Sarah began crying from the other room. He rubbed his temples, hoping to drain the massive headache. It didn't work.

"Hey, princess. Its okay," Edward cooed as he picked Sarah up and rocked her. She still whined. "What is it that you want?" she cried some more. Edward set her back into her crib and searched the room for a toy. He settled for a stuffed bunny and placed it in her hands. Sarah stared at it, shook it, then threw it to the ground and continued crying.

"I don't know what you want!" Edward impatiently shouted. He rummaged through all the draws, tossing rattle toys, stuffed animals, coloring books, and crayons to the floor. Edward picked up a coloring book and waved it in front of Sarah's face. "Do you want this?" he asked as sweetly as he could. He head was ringing. Sarah wailed. Edward was about to fling the flimsy book to the floor when he realized it wasn't a coloring book at all. It was papers with his late wife's hand writing all over it. When they got a house, Annette had planned on painting Sarah's room yellow and put galaxy wallpaper on the ceiling so every night would be a star filled one. He stared at that paper till his legs became tired and Sarah's whines turned into shrieks. A light bulb went off inside Edwards head.

"We both want the same thing," he mumbled. He left the room and came back with baby formula and water. His drunk hands sloppily poured the powder in the water and mixed it about till it dissolved. He took Sarah out of her crib again, sitting down, and resting her in the crook of her arm. She instantly quieted down and drank. Edward sighed of relief. He looked at his baby girl then at the mess he made in this room that very much mirror his life.

"I'm never letting you go," Edward whispered.

 ** _Present time_**

Edward snapped out of his trance and looked at Bella. She was touching his forearm in a comforting manner. He only seen worry in her eyes -not pity- unlike everyone else had when he was going through his hardship. That was the main reason why he never let them in. Even though their intentions were good, they carried bags of pity with them disguised as help.

"Don't let go of the past," Bella finally broke the silence. "It lets go when it wants too."

"How do you know?" he asked. Bella's eyes were a lovely shade of brown that were so easy to get lost in, and at the moment, Edward was. Bella edged closer, her voice barely above a whisper.

"I would know."

Edward didn't really understand what she meant and he didn't really care. He studied her face and was relieved and surprised when her expression mirrored his; unsure happiness. He brushed his lips against hers, the corners of their mouths tilting upwards. They were teetering on the edge of a cliff, afraid to jump into the unknown depths of falling in love again. Their eyes eyes met and they both unmistakably knew that they would hold hands and leap off as far as possible. Edward closed the little space between them and captured her mouth with his, creating a soft moan from Bella. She rose onto her toes and effortlessly slid her tongue into his mouth, settling into a slow, indulgent kiss.

Without separating, Edward gripped her hips and lifted her onto the counter, nibbling and sucking her bottom lip as he savored the silky delicious the taste of her mouth.

"Daddy?" Sarah's voice broke the enchantment and Edward reluctantly pulled away from Bella and she hopped off the counter top.

"Yes, Sarah?" his voice was still deep and husky with lust. He cleared his throat and averted eyes from his grief-stricken daughter. A wave of guilt hit him, but surprisingly, Sarah was smiling. And the glint of crazy he seen in her eyes told him it wasn't about anything she just seen.

"Ruth brought Pug back."

Edward clenched his fist. Someone was playing a cruel trick on his daughter. "Where are they?" Edward asked.

"Outside," Sarah replied cheerfully. "I heard him from my window. Ruth was playing with him."

Edward went to the closet and grabbed a baseball bat.

"Stay here."

"Edward, I don't think this is a good idea," said Bella.

"Someone is messing with us. They have been since day one." he kept his voice really low so Sarah couldn't hear.

Bella smiled sadly.

"That's just how it is here," she replied as she squeezed the hand he wasn't holding the bat in. "Get some sleep," she added and walked out the door. Edward wondered how she was getting home and would have went after her, but he didn't want to leave Sarah in this place alone.

The next morning was a fast paced one, starting with Edward and Sarah getting up early to get dressed. Alice and Jasper had drove over to take Sarah for the weekend.

"Thank you for coming down here. I know it was a long drive."

"No worries," replied Jasper.

Alice buckled Sarah in.

"All set darling," said Alice. Sarah nodded slightly. "I'm sorry about Pug."

Sarah shrugged. "Its okay. He's still alive."

"She's not taking his death well." Edward corrected.

"He's not dead," Sarah protested. She crossed her arms and frowned just like how she seen people on Tv do when they got mad. She hated the fact that her dad didn't believe her. "Daddy's got a girlfriend!" Sarah announced.

"Oh?" Alice and Jasper said unison.

Edward ignored them.

"I'll see you on Monday. Be good Sarah."

They dove away and Edward locked up the gate, the creaking much more bearable now that he was use to it. He made the long walk back to to front yard. He was already feeling lonely just looking at that big empty house stare down at him and he thought of Bella. His thoughts were interrupted by a noise.

A bark.

Pug's familiar bark. Edward held his breathe as he glanced around the yard. The wind was blowing dust around, but he seen nothing.

"Stop it," Edward muttered to himself. He walked up the porch steps, chanting; "He's dead. He's dead," until he slammed the door shut.


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N:** Hello, sorry I haven't been posting. I'll try to do better.

 **Chapter - 4 "Balance** "

Since Sarah was gone and the house was empty, Edward decided to take care of things that he had put off, or rather, hadn't had the time to do. He oiled all the doors (including the gate), and hung the new, yellow curtains in front of the boarded up windows. He hoped Alice and Jasper could work their charm and make Sarah happy again, or at least be _okay_ once she got back. All of their spirits seemed to dip, but to be fair, not much was going right. The best thing that happened to them was Bella. Edward had thought about visiting her later, maybe after he looked for a job. He found himself smiling just thinking about her... and their kiss. He spent the morning cleaning up and fixing what he could, then he took a break and called his sister.

"Hey, can you put Sarah on?" asked Edward as he twisted the phone cord and waited for Alice to pass the phone to Sarah.

"Of course... uh, Edward?"

"Yeah?"

"Who is this Bella girl Sarah keeps talking about?"

Edward inwardly groaned.

"Can you put Sarah on?"

He heard Alice giggle softly, before his daughter's voice beamed into the phone. "Daddy?"

"Hey, sweetheart. How are you?"

"I'm making cookies. They're shaped like ginger-bread-men."

"Wow, that sounds fun."

"It is, but I wish you and Pug were here."

Edward winced at the Pug's name, and he was glad she couldn't see him.

"I'll be with you in two days, as soon as the weekend's over, but until then, I need you to take care of Jasper and Alice, alright? Those two need watching," he joked.

Sarah giggled. "Okay."

Edward grinned as he cherished the sound of his daughter's laughter. "I love you, Sarah."

Static came on the other line, like someone was passing through a broken radio.

"Sarah?"

"Why did you let mommy die?"

Edward almost choked on his own spit. "W-what?"

"You let her die, then you abandoned me. You're a sorry excuse for a father," Sarah's voice said, almost like an echo. The word FAILURE blasted inside of Edward's head and he stumbled backwards, dropping the phone.

"I'm so sorry, I'm so-"

"Failure! Failure!" Sarah's voice chanted. The words seemed to be hitting directly in the middle of his head, clouding any other thoughts that tried to stop it. Edward fell to the ground, curling into a ball, and covered his ears.

"Stop!" he cried. He knew whatever was talking to him now was no longer his daughter.

FAILURE. YOU LET HER DIE. FAILURE. YOU ABANDONED ME.

"What do you want from me?" he shouted, and suddenly, everything stilled. It was quiet, almost peaceful if you weren't careful. He slowly stood up and glanced around. His mouth went slack as he looked at his living room wall and seen the red letters that clearly read; **HER.**

 _Ring, Ring._

Edward crawled to the phone, holding his breathe as he answered it.

"Edward? Edward, are you there?"

"A-Alice?"

"Who else would it be? Why'd you hang up? Sarah was worried something happened to you."

Edward blinked. "No, uh, everything's fine - I fell. I'll see you all on Monday," he quickly hung up before anything intercepted their call again. He squeezed his eyes shut, then opened them, finding the **HER** staring back at him. He stood up and threw the phone at the wall, breaking it off it's hinges. "You can't have her!"

* * *

"This is a large vintage, picture," said the clerk. It was a different guy than the first one Edward had seen when he had went shopping before. "Very large."

"I have something big to cover," Edward replied dryly.

The clerk shrugged.

"Will this be all?"

"Actually, no. I was wondering if there is a job opening?"

"Funny you asked, because a guy just quit. He said someone moved into the house on the hill."

Edward clenched his jaw.

"Is something wrong with that house?"

"Well, not necessarily, it's just the entire property down there. It has a lot of bad history."

"Do the past owners tell people this?"

"The past owners are all dead. Anyways, I don't want to scare you before you even start. We're really low on employee's, so if you know how to bag, I'd be happy to hire you."

Edward tried to process all the information he just got. He had so many questions to ask, but didn't think now was the right time. "Uhm... when do I start?"

The clerk grinned as if he'd been randomly asking people all day and Edward was the only person who said yes. "Monday. I'm Terry by the way."

Edward nodded and took his bags. Finding a job had went easier than he expect, but it left him with an eerie feeling. What did Terry mean by it wasn't the house, but the property was haunted? Why had everyone who lived there died? He also wondered if 'the house on the hill' (as Terry called it) was the reason the store was lacking employees. Edward brushed ill thoughts away as he listened to folk music - the only station that came in this town. That house was his home and he had no intentions of moving anytime soon. And until he started working again, he didn't have much of a choice anyway.

He unlocked the gate, relieved when it didn't squeak, and continued to the driveway. He was pleasantly surprised to see Bella in his front yard, planting flowers. She waved when she seen him.

"Hey," she said, looking slightly nervous. "I felt really bad about what I did yesterday, so..." she gestured to the many pretty flowers planted in front of the house. They were all white and yellow daisies, expect for a patch of bright blues Roses that marked Pug's grave.

"Thank you," Said Edward.

Bella smiled slightly, then continued what she was doing.

"Mind if I help?" he asked.

"I never seen anybody do garden work in a blazer," Bella quipped without looking up. "Where were you?"

Edward involuntarily glanced down at his gray suit jacket, blushing. "Job hunting. I start Monday at the supermarket."

"Congrats. Are you going to let Sarah stay here alone?"

"I was gonna try to get her in school."

Bella finally looked up, squinting at him. "There aren't any schools here, Edward. I can stay with her if you like. I can home school her too."

"Woah, wait, what do you mean there aren't any school in this town?"

"You're joking, right? Have you _seen_ any children here?"

Edward opened his mouth to speak then stopped himself. He _hadn't_ seen any kids. Only Sarah.

"You don't find that odd?" he asked.

Bella stood up, dusting her hands on her jeans.

"I finished the flowers. Guess like I didn't need your help. Can I clean up in the house?"

"Of course. I will need _your_ help through."

"With what?"

* * *

"Well, shit," mumbled Bella as she started at the carving of **HER** on his living room wall. "Who did this?"

"I don't know. We really need security. That gate seemed so secure, but... but how do _you_ get in?"

"What?"

Edward narrowed his eyes.

"You always come and go, yet you don't have a car and I always lock the gate."

Bella stepped back.

"What exactly are you implying?"

"I'm not sure. Should I be implying something?"

"You know what? Hang up your own damn picture," Bella said as she let go of her side of the picture that they were holding and started towards the front door.

Edward set his side down and leaned it against the couch, then followed after her. Bella ignored him and kept walking.

"Bella, wait! Please... just _please."_

Bella turned around, frustration written all over her face.

"What?" she spat.

"I'm sorry... I-I think I'm going crazy," Edward replied, hating the break in his voice.

Bella expression softened as she nodded. They eventually went back inside the house and she helped him hang up the picture.

"I overreacted," said Bella.

"No, you didn't."

"No, I did. I know things that happen here aren't normal. I should have been more considerate."

"It's not your fault."

"But what if some of it is?"

Edward frowned.

"Bella, if you know anything..."

Bella sighed. "No, I don't know anything."

Edward nodded, accepting that answer for now.

"I'm sorry I accused you earlier. I think this move is getting to all of us."

Bella reached out to tentatively to touch his hand. "It'll get better."

Edward was never a pessimist, but he couldn't help his next words. "Will it?"

"We have to try."

 _We._

Edward laced his fingers with her, gently squeezing her hand. The next couple of days were free of any incidents. It was two blissful days, and Bella had stayed over, making the weekend even better. Their relationship was still in the complicated phase, but that was alright by both of then, seeing their Sunday ending with them making out on the couch until they fell asleep. It was Bella who had woken up first, and squinted to look out the window. She couldn't see properly because Edward had his arm tucked around her waist and his face buried into her neck. If she moved, she would most likely wake him. But those worries were soon gone when loud, consecutive knocks shook their door.

"Edward! Edward open up, lazy bones!"

Edward groaned as he stirred, his body flush against Bella. He untangled himself from her as he murmured apologizes. Bella squinted towards the window.

"I think it's Alice."

 _Bam, bam, bam_.

"Edward!" Alice's voice rang from outside. She almost sounded impatient, which she never was, and it made Edward rush to the door, nearly ripping off the hinges.

"What's wrong?"

"It's Sarah," Alice frowned. "She's been feeling terrible since last night. I gave her some tea and thought she'd be better in the morning, but it only got worse."

"Where is she now?"

As if on cue, Jasper walked up the porch holding Sarah. Her legs were wrapped around his torso and her head was draped over his shoulder. Edward didn't know if she was asleep or not, so he whispered. "Is she alright?"

Sarah raised her head. "Daddy?"

Jasper handed her to Edward and he bounced her on his hip. "Honey, what's wrong?"

"I don't feel too good," she muffled into her dad's shoulder.

Edward frowned at his sister. "Did you feed her something bad?"

Alice rolled her eyes.

"Of course not. She doesn't have any allergies, right?"

"Right."

"Then no."

Edward nodded.

"Well, thanks for watching her. I'm sure it'll be nothing."

"No problem," said Jasper.

"Get her in bed and keep her warm," Alice added. She was shifting nervously from side to side and it made Edward smile. He knew his family loved Sarah like their own. He said his last goodbyes then kicked the door shut with his foot.

"Is everything okay?" Bella asked, standing beside the stair case. Edward figured she didn't want to be seen.

"I don't know," he replied as he walked upstairs.

"Does she have a fever?"

"I don't think so."

"My tummy hurts," Sarah whined.

"Maybe a stomach bug?" said Bella.

Edward shrugged as he climbed the stairs with Bella close behind. He went in Sarah's room and tucked her in bed. "Get some sleep, okay?"

The little girl nodded.

"If she doesn't feel better by tomorrow, we'll take her to a hospital," whispered Bella. They were standing by the doorway now, talking low so Sarah wouldn't hear them.

"This is my problem. I don't want to burden you with this."

Bella shrugged.

"I don't mind."

"I do," Edward gave a playful pout, "I don't want to scare you away _now."_

Bella offered a small smirk. "Okay, but I'll visit tomorrow. And update me on everything."

Edward grinned. "I will."

Much to his surprise, Bella walked to Sarah's bedside and kissed her forehead.

"I'll be back tomorrow, sweetie. I promise," Bella said to Sarah as she brushed some hair behind the girl's ear.

Sarah smiled weakly as a wave of calmness hugged around her. She couldn't help but wonder if Bella really was a princess. "Bye, Bella."

* * *

"Sarah, Sarah."

Sarah's heavy eye lids slowly forced themselves opened, seeing blurry at first, before they adjusted to the soft moon light coming through her window and casting shadows all over her room. It seemed like a lifetime had passed since she was with her dad and Bella, but only the day had gone by and it was night. She also felt a lot more tired than before and her bed was drenched in her sweat. Even though her mind was foggy, she felt a presence watching her, and she turned her head to the side. It caused her more strength than she could imagine.

"Ruth?"

"I have something to show you, come on, let's play," the other little girl replied.

Sarah coughed as she struggled to keep her eyes opened. She had never felt so tired in her life.

"I can't. I-I don't feel good," mumbled Sarah.

 _"Try,"_ Ruth hissed, just as Sarah felt a shiver crawl down her spine. Ruth never opened her mouth to speak, but Sarah always heard her. It was like a shrill voice inside her head, a special secret between them. It was one of the many cool things about Ruth. She had very long, straight, dark hair, and pale, vein riddled skin. Her clothes were old and vintage, and despite how many times Sarah offered her own clothes to wear, Ruth declined. Another thing Sarah thought was cool about Ruth was that she was forever wet, like she had just went swimming, but no water ever gotten on the floor, and she told Sarah it was magic.

With a groan, Sarah used all her strength to place her legs over the side of the bed, accidentally tumbling off. A soft croak escaped her lips as she made contact with the floor, her elbows stinging in pain.

"I... I can't get up," Sarah said as she was on the verge of tears.

Ruth's translucent, wet, feet dragged across the floor, stopping in front of Sarah's head. "I want you to play with me," she shrieked, "Now!"

Sarah's limps became feather-lite and her eyes widened as she realized she was being lifted off the ground, getting further and further away from Ruth, who was staring up at her with an evil scowl.

"Daddy!" but Sarah could barely get the words out before she was flung into the wall, and immediately dropped to the floor, taking a picture with her. She tried to raise her head, or move anything at all, but pain and exhaustion had taken over. The last thing she heard was footsteps running up the stairs - probably her father's - before she blacked out.


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter - 5 "Ruth"**

* * *

 _Beep. Beep. Beep._

Edward sat on an uncomfortable chair, listening to his daughter's heart monitor. He tapped his foot along to the noise as it was the only way to keep himself awake. It had been two days since he found Sarah on her bedroom floor and it's been two days since he had gotten any sleep.

He wanted to be the first thing she seen once she finally woke up. Also, it was hard to get any sleep after the doctor had read out her injuries - Two broken ribs, a sprained wrist, and a minor concussion. It keep Edward up at night just wondering how this could happen. She was alone in her bedroom. The desk didn't fall on her and a simple tumble off the bed wouldn't cause these kind of injuries. The doctor told him she should have been awake by now and that he had no clue why she wasn't yet. It made Edward's stomach turn even more. He wondered if this had something to do with the house. It sounded like nonsense to himself, but things were different lately. He questioned if he was going crazy, but he decided to put those questions aside because Sarah was in the hospital, and that was real.

"Sir?" asked a nurse who Edward hadn't heard open the door.

"Yes?" His voice was low and horse from not speaking for so long. He had only nodded to the other doctors when they told him of Sarah's wellbeing and he realized just how dry his throat was. It felt like dust was in it.

"Just checking in. Is everything alright?"

He gave a short nod.

"Yes," he replied, mostly to test out his voice.

The nurse nodded and left, closing the door behind her.

Edward glanced at Sarah and took her small hand in his. He didn't think there could be a worse sight than seeing her like this.

"I'll be right back," he whispered as he placed a kiss on her forehead.

Edward left the hospital room and got a cup of water. The cool liquid felt great as soon as it hit the back of his mouth, but then he felt his stomach grumble. He felt guilty about eating something while Sarah was like that, so he settled with the cup of water. When he walked back into the room, Sarah was sitting up staring blankly ahead.

Edward dropped the cup and rushed to her side.

"Oh _my_ \- nurse! Sarah, I'm here, I'm here." He cooed.

Sarah blinked as she looked around the room, confused, wincing slightly.

"Where I am?"

"In the hospital. Don't worry sweetheart, we're gonna go home."

Sarah slowly shook her head as if remembering what happened.

"No. Don't make me go back."

"Sarah..." Edward struggled to find the right words. "Why?"

"She did this to me."

Edward frowned.

"Who did this to you?"

Sarah glanced around and softly whispered; "Ruth."

Edward furrowed his brows as the name wasn't familiar nor did he run into anyone with that name.

"A woman named Ruth snuck into your bedroom and did _this_ to you?"

Sarah shook her head.

"It's not that simple. She's always with me when I'm there."

Edward didn't know how to tell her that he couldn't go anywhere else. His closest family was miles and miles away.

"I won't leave you're side."

"No, dad, no! I can't go back! I won't! You don't understand!" shrieked Sarah.

It was so frightening that Edward flinched. Sarah was usually a calm, level-headed child. She began thrashing around on the bed, yelling.

"You're gonna hurt yourself! Sarah, stop!"

Just then, two nurses came into the room and gave Sarah pain medicine and something else that Edward didn't know, but it made Sarah stop thrashing and yelling and she soon slipped into a sleep.

"Some patients get really scared or confused after being unconscious for multiple days. If she said or did anything unlike herself, it's probably because of trauma, but it won't last." Assured the nurse.

"Can she stay here another day?"

"Of course," replied a young nurse.

Edward nodded as he stared at Sarah. He couldn't get the way her eyes were so fearful when he mention them going home. Was Ruth real or another imaginary friend? After all, if Ruth was real, he could find her. This was a very small town.

"Mr. Cullen?"

Edward glanced up and seen a doctor curtly smiling at him. All the other nurses and doctor's had left.

"That's me." He replied grimly.

"I'm Doctor Moore, but you can call me David. I wanted to ask you a few questions."

"Of course."

"You said you found Sarah unconscious on her bedroom floor, is that correct?"

"Is it."

"And you've been a single dad for some time now, right?"

Edward narrowed his eyes.

"All her life."

"I'm also aware that you had a drinking problem, hmm?"

Edward frowned.

"Where did you- "

"The hospital did a back ground check. Your family tried to get you into an intervention after you got into your second minor drunk driving accident. Not to mention you were evicted out of three of the last four apartment you had. I also happen to notice that you just recently stopped taking depression medication."

"Do you have something to say to me?" growled Edward.

"Not now, but I might if Sarah has anymore "suspicious" accidents. You better believe child services will be at your door. I'll make sure of it."

Edward clenched his fist. He was so angry that he was shaking.

"You think _I_ did this?"

"Somebody did. Time will only tell, won't it?" said David. "I'm glad you decided to keep her here for a couple more days though. I'm sure she needs the proper attention."

Edward picked Sarah up. "Actually, I think we'll be leaving now." And he walked out the door. He left the hospital, fuming as he did so, and opened his car door with so much force that he thought he was gonna rip it off. He set Sarah in the back then got into front seat. He sped down the road until he came to the big gate at his house. His fingers were pale from gripping the steering wheel so tight. He glanced back at Sarah, who was still under whatever sedative the nurses gave her, then he got out the car. After he opened the gate he drove into the dirt driveway and upon seeing all the flowers lined in front of his house, he immediately thought of Bella. She hadn't went with him to the hospital. She said she would stay back.

Edward carried Sarah into the house and set her on the couch. He didn't feel right leaving her in her room; he wanted to be able to watch her. He felt his angry rising just thinking about what that doctor was accusing him of. He needed to investigate, so he got his computer and set it on the table.

Sarah's chest steadily rose and fell as she breathed and shivers shook her body. Edward ran upstairs to fetch her jacket, but stopped when he seen the mess in her room. Things were flipped over, pictures were on the floor and her blankets were tousled all over. He frowned as he went deeper in and it only became colder - icy cold, actually. That's when something caught his eye. It was Sarah's drawings that she had hung up on her wall. One was of two little stick figure girls, titled "Ruth and Me". Another just had a girl with long black hair, in a pale green dress, with no face, and blue crayon puddled around her feet like water. Another one tilted "the voice in my head" showed Ruth standing right behind her, so close that it seemed she was almost apart of her. There were other disturbing drawings, such as a blurry, tall black monster with red eyes standing in the corner of the room.

Feeling a chill run down his spine like icy finger tips, Edward slowly turned towards the corner. It was empty.

"You're going freaking crazy," muttered Edward as he tore his eyes away from the corner and a huge shadow came over him. He looked up and seen the hideous monster crawling on the ceiling, looking back at him. Edward darted to the door and slammed it shut just as the thing lunged for him. It hit the door with a loud thud and Edward stumbled backwards, falling down.

Edward cursed as he scrambled to his feet. He ran his hands over his face as he blinked rapidly, never taking his eyes off the door. Finally, he slowly reached out and turned the door knob. The door creaked as he pushed it farther open and looked inside.

It was empty. Nothing was even out-of-place.

* * *

Edward got boards from the shed and boarded up Sarah's bedroom door. When he came back downstairs, Sarah was just waking up.

"Dad, what's all that noise?"

He decided to ignore that question. "How do you feel?"

"My..." She slowly sat up. "My ribs hurt and I can't move my wrist."

Edward smiled as he sat beside her.

"Well, you can't move your wrist because of this cast. It's supposed to help you so you can't hurt it anymore." He pointed at the cast on her wrist. "So, it's actually a good thing that you can't move it."

"Oh," replied Sarah. "Is Bella here?"

"No." Said Edward, not caring that he sounded as disappointed as she looked.

"What are you doing with that?" Sarah asked as she pointed at the computer on the table.

Edward forced a smile.

"Gonna do some research."

Sarah nodded then went quiet for a moment.

"Dad?"

"Yeah?"

"About what I said earlier, I-I didn't mean to scare you."

"It's okay, Sarah."

"But you don't believe me, do you?"

Edward swallowed hard.

"It's not that I don't believe you... I just don't think I understand."

Sarah had fallen back asleep on Edward's shoulder while he searched up this town online. He found many articles even going back into the 1800's. Some sites talking about the Church by the mountains, which would be exactly where "The house by the hill" is today. They spoke of an evil priest who took children over the small mountain to be baptised in the lake, but sinister things happened to them. Some had bruises all over their bodies and others became mute and never spoke again. The article continues by saying the parents of the children hunted the priest and burnt his house down with him inside while his six daughter, Ruth, and wife Christine, was out fetching water at well a mile away. When Christine learnt of this, they say she cast a spell over the entire town, for all the children became very ill and the adults were tormented by the priest screams very night, keeping them awake. The town came together and sentenced Christine to death for claiming she is a witch. Ruth was now an orphan who the town wanted nothing to do with. The other kids her age were afraid of her and the ones who weren't, bullied her. She was an "erratic" child as the article said, and that was the reason no one would take her in. Rumors also spread that Ruth was a witch just like her mother, since the spell did not stop, and they told her to leave or be sentenced to death. Ruth was so distraught by this, that she walked for miles barefooted until she came to the lake her father used the baptise children, and there she supposedly cast a spell that this town shall never be gifted with a child again. Then she drowned herself.

Edward took a breath, glanced at Sarah, then continued reading. He clicked on a picture and saw an old photo of a girl with long, black hair, wearing a green dress. They say all the children in the town became so sick that they all died. When women became pregnant they would lose the baby. Other more sickening stories told of how women would turn crazy and cut out their own womb out. Years and years past and things became better (at least on the surface) because more tourist settled there to live. Particularly a wealthy family who made a metal gate surrounding their house just beyond what was now called the "Hell Hill", so they wouldn't have to see any unwelcome peasant. The family consisted of a daughter, son, Mother, and Husband. They owned 5 slaves and kept them in their barn in shackles.

Edward clicked on the picture and seen slaves in an old-time photo. He clicked on another photo and saw the family. He sighed and kept reading.

The family reported hearing strange noises and seeing dead people to the police, so the police deemed them as insane. The family members let it go, expect the wife and she was taken to a crazy house. Weeks later, a slave escaped the barn and slit the father's throat, and stabbed the son and daughter multiple times. The slave got the family gun and killed his fellow slaves, then lastly himself. People say he was possessed, but other just thought that was the violent nature of a slave. When the mother came back home, years later, another family had moved in, and she hung herself on the gate. Rumors say ever since then, the gate creaked, but no one was certain.

Edward googled history of "Hell Hill" and many searches came up, describing all the crazy deaths, murders, and eerie amount of people who got taken away to an insane asylum. People claimed to have sightings of ghost, mostly describing them as demonic. The gated house was closed around 1910 and deemed "inhabitable" until the early 1930's when a single, rich man bought the land. Reports from his neighbors said he was acting strange and a week later he sold the property to a young, newly wedded couple, Isabella Swan and Jacob Black.

Edward nearly choked on his spit as he stared at the photo of what could only be Bella. His eyes grew wide as he read the rest of the column.

The young couple was very private (and controversial, since Isabella never took her husband's name) and didn't have any acquaintances to anybody's knowledge. Nosey people told others they saw a priest go in their house, then run out. The local newspapers reported that an exorcist specialist drove halfway across the country to meet with them. No one knew if the meeting was successful or not, but days later a group of women wearing all black from head to toe visited the house. They claimed to be witches. The news reporting snapped a few shots of them.

Pictures showed the women in black pouring something around the large gate as one of them seemed to be chanting. The article continues to say that they were "trapping the evil" within the gates so it wouldn't torment the town anymore. Rumors say the witches did not tell the full details to the young couple which were later found out to be; that whoever is within the gates shall be trapped forever. The witches proceeded to slit their wrist and taint the ground with their blood to finish the ritual. Isabella Swan didn't have a chance to escape, as the witches slit her wrist too, but people say the curse was not fully trapped inside the gated house and that it still seeped into the town because Jacob Black was away at work at the time of the tragedy. He came home to see the police zipping up body bag after body bag. The police described it as "A brutal attack" and imprisoned Jacob for hiring witches. He continually yelled that the spirits drove him and his late wife to get into contact with them. Less than a month later he was put in an insane asylum where he would live out the rest of his days.

Other websites showed how less and less tourist came there and the town became a "waste land" as one person described it. Strange things continued to happened at "The house on the hill" (as people been calling it since the 1980's) but nothing that's been reported. Maybe people are afraid of being called crazy? Someone had said.

Speaking of crazy... Edward googled Isabella Swan. It was impossible to be Bella. Bella couldn't be older than 20. Still, he searched and by no doubt it was her. He swallowed hard and went back to the other articles. He felt a slight headache throbbing through his forehead, but he couldn't look away. An article that caught Edward's interest was "The childless town (poem)" dedicated to the house on the hill and it's town. He clicked on it.

 _Do not stop_

 _Do not heed_

 _By carriage or by car_

 _Go faster than you need_

 _If you stop_

 _they will surely see_

 _where you are_

 _And say their prisoner is free_

 _You may run_

 _You may hide_

 _But It will only give them glee_

 _They like to toy_

 _They like to pry_

 _It is too late_

 _So pay the price_

 _Count your prayers_

 _Say your grace_

 _Since you have you stopped_

 _You met this fate_

 _Do not stop_

 _Do not heed_

 _They want the children_

 _So off they take_

 _They seep in slowly_

 _Like a second skin_

 _To underworld for all their kin_

 _That's where they lurk_

 _Help us all for Ruth's curse worked!_

Edward slammed the computer shut and Sarah flutter her eyes open.

"Daddy?"

"I'm fine." He said in a rush, still not properly digesting all the information he read. He set the computer on the couch and stood up. "I'll be right back."

"Where are you going?" Asked Sarah, her voice rising at the idea of being left alone.

"To find Bella. I'll be quick, I promise."

Sarah nodded slightly and Edward leaned down to kiss her forehead.

"I love you."

"I love you too," she whispered back.

 **To be continued...**


End file.
